The Twilit Hero
by royishere
Summary: The Battle for Hyrule is over. Link has defeated Zant and Ganondorf and freed Midna from her curse. But, how will Hyrule recover from the repercussions of Zant's twisted rule? When the Zoras rebel, Link is left with more questions than answers.
1. Soldier's Log 001

**(A/N: My first Fanfic ever! I have grand plans for this one, but I know I can improve as a writer... Constructive criticism is welcome.)**

_Following the defeat of Ganondorf, Link became known as the Twilit hero. His first visit was to the golden sands of the Gerudo desert with Princess Zelda and a mysterious woman..._

_-_The Divine Beast,_ by Jacob Stalip_

_ Soldier's Log. Day 01 in the Year of the Hero_

06-09-01, 0700:Allquiet on the Western Wall. Not a sight anywhere. Boring guard duty as usual up here. Sometimes I wish we could have a little excitement. I suppose I should count myself lucky though. Just a few months ago, the demon Zant forced Hyrule's surrender. I was merely a recruit at the time. After Hyrule was returned to its former glory, soldiers have been in short demand. Several hours and I found myself behind a desk with three vassals, all of whom were probably conscripted a few minutes before.

Hyrule castle needs rebuilding. Death and destruction run rampant. There are monsters to find and eliminate, there is rebuilding to be done, there is watch duty... Damn, do I hate watch duty. I would much rather be out in a warband, hunting Moblins.

0723: I wonder if smoking on duty is prohibited. Can't do any harm.

0731: The day is sure shaping up to be nice. I can see all the way around for many miles. Down to Zora's Domain, and almost to Gerudo Desert.

Gerudo Desert...

Scarcely has Princess Zelda announced her safety and evil's defeat when she leaves on an errand of utmost importance. She, the Hero, and a strange woman left for the Gerudo desert yesterday. I wonder if Zelda likes threeso-Hell, she's probably going to be reading this report.

Damn.

No, I'm sure that isn't what they're doing. Zelda's too pure for that. She's probably asking the Light Spirits what should be done to recover Hyrule from the scars Zant inflicted on us. I've heard that Zant was just a puppet, but I don't know if I believe that, he was plenty evil enough for me.

However evil he was, he is now dead-hopefully for good. It will be a time of peace...

I'm getting a warm fuzzy feeling just thinking about it.

-Log of Escar Elmund, Raphe of the armies of Hyrule

**(A/N: It's just a small prologue, this isn't how the whole stories going to be. I'm more skilled than this, but it's hard to write deeply and well when it's from the point of view of a course soldier. Next update will be a real chapter, I promise!)**


	2. The Same Coin

**((A/N: Still in the "Summarization of events" stage, unfortunately... This chapter is all stuff you already knew. Next chapter, I start actually making up stuff. I'm satisfied with this though... Poor Link, poor Midna..))**

The sun beat down on the scorched stone of the Mirror chamber. Vultures flew overhead, cawing, as they scanned the desert for carrion. One dove, talons flashing in the bright sun, and began to feast on a bloated warthog corpse, a remnant of the great Bulbin tribe that had once lived in the shadow of Arbiter's Grounds.

The vulture shrieked and cocked its head to one side. Its primitive animal brain sensed a disturbance in the air currents. It looked up, scanning the skies hastily for danger or food, just in time to see a dark hole, obsidian and endless, open in the sky. Dark matter, made of the same material as the hole, whirled out like malevolent snowflakes and formed into three people. The vulture nodded, clucked, and went back to its gruesome meal.

**Link**

Link stood, looking at the scorched landscape, at the Mirror of Twilight, at princess Zelda, anywhere but his other companion, Midna. His eyes ached, they always did if he did not look upon her for too long. How could he tell her, a twilight being, that he, a being of light, could not, would not, part with her?

It was her homeland, her realm, that he was asking her to give up... for him. He couldn't do it.

_The day broke as evil was banished. The light spirits echoed their jubilation to the skies as Hyrule cheered as one. But Link had eyes for only Midna. Midna as she was supposed to look, not as the imp that Zant had forced her to become._

_"What? Say something!" she demanded, looking... impishly at him and smiling at his awe. "Am I so beautiful that you've no words left?"_

That, Link thought, was the perfect way to summarize the problem.

The party fidgeted uncomfortably. The silence stretched out... Finally, when Link was finally beginning to allow hope to seep through the miasmic cloud that covered his vision of the future, Midna spoke, tones ringing clear to the silent void.

"Well...," she began, not meeting anyone's eyes, "I guess this is farewell, huh?"

Zelda nodded serenely, biting her lip with sadness. Although they had not known each other for very long periods of time, Midna and Zelda had shared a body and were closer than they liked to admit. Link could not bring himself to even look at her, it was taking all his effort to not break down right there.

"Light and shadow can't mix, as we all know," continued Midna, stifling a sob, "But never forget that there's a world bound to this one."

"Shadow and light are two sides of the same coin," said Zelda, raising her delicate chin. "One cannot exist without the other."

Those words nearly killed Link right there, they echoed through his brain and he wanted to weep.

"I know now the reason the goddesses left the Mirror of Twilight in this world," said Zelda, trying to be positive, "They left it because it was their design that we should meet. Yes. That is what I believe."

_And their design that we should be torn away?_, thought Link, but he still said nothing.

"Zelda...," said Midna, at last, "Your words are kind and your heart is true. If all in Hyrule are like you...," with a vain attempt at her previous way of speech, "then maybe you'll do all right."

Midna finally cast her gaze on Link. He could feel Zelda's eyes boring into him, had she guessed? Perhaps. He forced himself to meet her gaze.

"Thank you...," she breathed. It was all that needed to be said.

There was a hum and a crackle of energy. The Mirror of Twilight opened and the dimensional rift spun, bringing promise of a twilit landscape.

"Well," said Midna awkwardly, "The princess spoke truly. As long as that mirror's around, we could meet again..."

Link's heart leapt at the possibility. They could see each other. This didn't have to be good-bye. He smiled and, for the first time, looking at Midna didn't bring pain.

_We will meet again. I can feel it._

Midna slowly mounted the platform and stood in front of the Twilight Gate.

"Link..."

But Link had been struck dumb.

"I..."

"I love you, Midna," whispered Link, finally saying the words. He didn't say them loud enough for either woman to hear, however.

Midna was crying now, silver tears trickling down her beautiful face. "...See you later..."

And a tear, a single, glistening tear, slid from her face and drifted towards the Mirror of Twilight. They touched.

With a sharp crack, like the shattering of ice, the mirror cracked. Cracks began to run down its frame faster and faster. The tunnel flickered. Link gasped in shock. Was Midna choosing him over her entire world? It was a dream come true.

But, with a final, anguished cry, Midna dove through the portal. The Mirror of Twilight, blessed by the Sages, what Link had worked so hard to reconstruct, fell to the ground, shining dust. The portal snapped shut.

And all of Link's hopes had shattered with the mirror.

**Midna**

Midna breathed in and out, preparing herself for what she had to do.

It was, of course, the _correct_ thing to do... but did correct always mean right?

Could she leave this land behind? No, of course she could. The question was, could she leave Link behind?

A foolish farmboy. An unwitting tool. A brave warrior. A child with a destiny. A chosen Hero. A wielder of the Master Sword.

A friend. More.

Midna realized it right there, that the unthinkable had happened. She was in love with Link. And that only made it more difficult to do what she was about to do. Besides, why would Link ever feel the same way? She had both used and abused him, and been spiteful on more than one occasion. Besides, she had been an imp most of the journey. She doubted Link liked imps.

But there had been that one expression on his face, as her true form was restored by the hallowed spirits... She had thought it joy, such as what you might feel for a friend who had found something they had lost. Was it... something else entirely?

She broke the silence, as she would soon break something else. The irony was not lost on her as she spoke.

"Well...," she said, unable to look at her friends. Yes, even Zelda had become something more than a nuisance lately. "I guess this is farewell, huh?"

_Yes. It is farewell. Goodbye. Forever._

"Light and shadow can't mix, as we all know," she said, hating herself for what she had just said. Light and shadow. Her and Link. It HAD to be possible! "But never forget there's a world bound to this one... or me." This last part was said so quietly, even she wasn't sure she had said it.

Zelda's voice rang out, clear and crisp. "I know now the reason the goddesses left the Mirror of Twilight in this world. They left it because it was their design that we should meet. Yes. That is what I believe."

Midna barely heard a word Zelda was saying, as she had just realized that Link hadn't said a word, or even looked at her. Silence reigned once more.

"Zelda...," said Midna, finally, "Your words are kind and your heart is true. If all in Hyrule are like you...," and she said this with Link in mind, hoping to instill in him some memories of their adventures, "Then maybe you'll do all right."

Midna looked directly at Link and his gaze shot up. Their eyes locked. What surprised her was the look in his eyes, like she was betraying him. If he felt that way, she hated to think how he'd feel once she'd done what she had to do... to preserve the balance.

She opened her mouth to tell him everything, why it had to be like this, why she couldn't stay, why he couldn't leave, that she loved him... but all that came out was "Thank you..." She hoped it was enough.

She called on the power of the mirror and felt, rather than saw, it open to the Twilight Realm. She slowly mounted the steps.

"Well...," she said, hating herself for her heavy tongue. "The princess spoke truly. As long as that mirror's around, we could meet again..." Link's look of happiness sent pangs into her heart, icicles that were aimed to kill.

"Link...," she said, trying to bring the words to her tongue.

She tried again. "I..."

Link said something then, but she was too far to hear it. She was to even be denied Link's last words.

She was suddenly crying. "...See you later...," she gasped, and then she visualized the shape of the mirror. She commanded it to break, to be destroyed.

A tear swam slowly through the air like a whale through the sea, slipped by Zelda's ear, and then landed on the mirror.

_Jump through!_, commanded her pragmatic half, but her other half stayed put. She could wait here. She could let the mirror crack, break, be destroyed. She could be stuck here forever. She could live with Link. He could introduce her to the Ordanites, his fellow hicks. She could perhaps marry him, and live to a ripe old age as Hyrule prospered...

A cry erupted from Midna's throat, one last sob as her tears stopped. One foot did not obey her, but the other was enough. She kicked off from the platform and fell into the portal.

The funny thing was, as the portal closed behind her, she felt no jubilation that she had done her duty as Twilight Queen.

There was only sadness.


	3. Hero's Return

**((A/N: Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter up! Blame Nintendo for releasing Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn, not me! Well, I suppose my desire to write a guide for it contributed. The game did not deserve its harsh reviews! Any fan of SRPGs should check it out, seriously. But I digress. I've been able to tear myself away from Fire Emblem and homework long enough to write this chapter, but something seems off. I like some parts of it, but I think I could have done a better job with others. Comment and tell me what you think! To those who have commented so far, thank you very much. It's constructive criticism like that that helps me grow, and praise like that that makes me want to keep writing. **

**I would also like to take this opportunity to state that I in no way own the Legend of Zelda franchise, nor have I ever, nor will I ever (In all likelihood). **

**Anyhow, on to the story!))**

Four days. All of four days had gone by since Midna's destruction of the mirror. And yet Link still stood there, stone-faced, burning a hole in the pile of mirror fragments with his gaze. His body ached from hunger and tiredness. He had not sat down, ate, or even slept since Midna's departure from Hyrule.

And yet his body still felt relatively comfortable when he concentrated on his emotional pain. Link blinked, and for a moment, he considered never opening his eyes again. He discarded the thought and his eyes flicked open again. He reached down to his Ordon-made belt of goatskin and drank the last of the contents of his waterskin. As he swallowed, he let out a brief sigh. The movement of his larynx, which had made no sound for four days, caused his throat to ache. His eyes closed in semblance of sleep as he remembered Zelda's departure...

_Zelda gasped in surprise as Midna vanished through the mirror. Link paid her no mind. He merely stood there, as a muscle twitched in his jaw. That was the only outward sign he gave of his feelings. He turned slowly to face Ordon, his home, and suddenly couldn't imagine living there without Midna at his side._

_"I am so sorry, Link," said Zelda. Link realized that she had come up behind him and draped an arm around his broad shoulders. He realized that he had lost all physical feeling. He could not feel her arm, he could only see it. "I know what she meant to you."_

_They were a princess's words, so bereft of meaning. He could almost imagine the emotion, the caring, but he knew Zelda was trying to comfort him. _Do you, Zelda? Do you really understand exactly how we felt about each other?_ "She's gone, Zelda," was all he said. _

_She fixed him with a pitying gaze. "Yes, she is gone, and we must honor her sacrifice. Hyrule must be rebuilt. We must go, pick up the tatters of our lives, and start them anew."_

_Already, she cast all memory of the brave Twili away. Link could have roared with frustration. But all he did was clench his hands. Zelda didn't notice his anger. She turned away and began to walk towards the archway._

_"No."_

_She turned at his voice, surprised. Her long mane of golden hair swirled behind her lovely head. "What?"_

_"I'm not going. I will stay here."_

_She paused for a second, considering. "Very well," she said at last. "But when you leave this place, please come see me in the castle town." She paused for a minute, she seemed almost nervous. "I have a favor to ask of you."_

_Link looked at her impassively. "I may never leave this place, Zelda," he said, and he smiled a bittersweet smile. "But if I do, I will seek you out."_

_Zelda fixed him with her blue-eyed gaze. "If-_When_ you return, I will be waiting," she murmured, still in that safe nervous tone. She seemed to struggle with herself as she left, as if she wanted desperately to stay but couldn't. Her regal head held high, her shadow followed her out of the ancient room as Link turned his gaze back to the monument of a better time, the shards of the mirror._

Now, though, Link was out of options. His water was gone, his nerves were shot from sleep and food deprivation, and his body pained him. He acknowledged, somewhere in his brain, that he had never given his wounds from that final, terrible duel with the lord of darkness time to heal.

He opened his eyes and stretched, as if throwing off the weight of the world from his back. Atlas himself, thought Link, had not shouldered anything close to the burden of the Twilit Hero. He turned, relishing the fiery pain that broke out across his stiff muscles, and began to walk. His glazed eyes were fixed slowly on the ground in front of him. _Walk_, he commanded himself, and that was what he would be doing, until he could ride.

**Three days later...**

The sun beat down on a healing Hyrule. The birds sang, the mammals roamed the forests, and, if you were very lucky, a rare golden insect could be spotted going about its business.

No monsters roamed Hyrule's beautiful lands. No evil threatened its villages. There was only adventure's flint, waiting to be sparked into flame by the adventurer's steel. Link allowed a whoop to be torn from his throat in spite of himself as Epona reared up on her back legs. This was riding for the fun of it, and nothing else. When Link was seated on Epona, no sorrow could touch him. He transcended his world of needs and knew only galloping in all its wild bliss. When Epona slowed to a walk, though, the despair which he kept close at bay came crashing back in. So he galloped.

Epona plunged into a river and began to swim. Link leaned down and drank the sweet water of Hyrule's river. Epona's thrashing legs drove up spray and waves, soaking the hero up to his neck. For a few seconds, he was a child again, splashing in the river with Ilia. He laughed and clung tight to his steed, who whinnied in delight.

They broke free from the river still galloping and Epona's breath now came in pants. But still she moved, her pride unwilling to surrender to tiredness before she reached her destination. Link had not forgotten his promise to Zelda, and he was headed for Hyrule castle.

The sun, a star blazing in the azure heavens, began to sink in the sky. The chirruping of birds slowly died away as the moon rose. It was twilight. But this was glorious twilight, and not Zant's evil perversion of it. It was a mix of the heavenly light of the day and the eerie chill of the night. Link saw a lantern swing without anybody to swing it, and knew a poe lived nearby. His brow furrowed in concentration as he struggled to remember the way to Hyrule castle. He shouldn't have bothered. Epona knew the way. He closed his eyes, trying to remember the turn, and was asleep before his thought was half-formed. He clung loosely to the reins in sleep and Epona slowed to a slow canter. Link's head lolled back and forth and Epona followed her own intuitive sense of direction. The castle's spires grew and grew.

It was getting close to curfew. Abril Callent, a soldier in Hyrule's army, turned away from the castle wall.

"Close up!" he commanded his men, and they snapped to attention, preparing to close the drawbridge. Abril stepped into his place and grabbed a cold iron rung win both hands. He braced his body against it, but there was something wrong. Small vibrations ran through the iron. From the looks his fellow soldiers wore, they felt it too.

A lone horse, carrying a rider, silhouetted by the moon, came cantering into the castle's borders. The guards spared the horse half a glance, then returned to the drawbridge. With a slow grating sound, it shuddered into place. As it did so, the horse reared and its rider fell to the ground.

The soldiers looked at the sight- A horse, gasping for air, lather streaking its magnificent flank, and her rider, either unconscious or asleep on the ground.

Link had returned.


End file.
